Environmental Law

We act throughout the complete scope of environmental matters, contentious and non-contentious, across a great many sectors, and for clients ranging from individuals and small businesses to the largest corporations and organisations. Our team is based across the firm’s offices and carries out stand-alone environmental work (such as environmental permitting and regulatory defence) as well as drawing in planning, property, litigation, criminal and Health and Safety expertise. We also work in co-operation with our network of environmental consultants and professionals to provide practical compliance solutions. Environmental matters can be highly technical but we pride ourselves in our ability to cut through the complexities and make them clear and easy to understand.

We can assist you with:

Advice and guidance

• Understanding and interpreting relevant environmental law and guidance, what applies to you, its significance and how it impacts on you and your business or project
  
• What licences, permits or other permissions you may need
  
• Due diligence enquiries so that you know where you stand regarding environmental responsibilities and duties

Implementation

• Project-managing your environmental planning and regulatory compliance requirements
  
• Advising on establishing, developing and implementing environmental policy and protocol
  
• Negotiating with environmental authorities
  
• Obtaining permits, licences and other authorisations
  
• Advising and assisting with premises/site closure or continuity arrangements

Environmental problems

• Incident investigation management
  
• Advice and support on remedial action and managing on-going risk
  
• Engaging with the environmental and other authorities
  
• Liaising with, engaging and instructing environment specialists and experts
  
• Advising and assisting you with crisis management and communications
  
• Appeals or judicial reviews of environmental authority decisions

Investigations and prosecutions

• Protecting you when you are under investigation, or subject to enforcement action or prosecution by the Environment Agency or other environmental authorities
  
• Communicating with and making submissions to investigators
  
• Appealing enforcement notices
  
• Preparing you for and representing you at interviews under caution (PACE interviews)
  
• Advising and assisting with civil sanctions and enforcement undertakings
  
• Defending prosecutions

Our expertise includes

• Environmental Permitting
  
• Environmental planning
  
• Waste – legal definition as well as specific areas such as Carrying, Disposal, Recovery, Management, Packaging, Electrical and WEEE
• Fly tipping and littering
• Contaminated land 
• Pollution cases (air, water, land), including trespass and nuisance
• Statutory nuisance and control
  
• Disputes and appeals
  
• Incident management including offence response
  
• Defending prosecutions including civil sanctions and enforcement undertakings
  
• Defending fly tipping cases
  
• Policies and procedures
  
• Project management and support
• Risk and compliance